Spotify rebranded its Are&Be playlist to RNB X with artists Victoria Monét, Summer Walker, and Keke Palmer at the helm of the launch. The change followed a nearly 25 percent growth in R&B streams on the platform over the past year.

In an official statement, the streaming platform said, “R&B is constantly changing, taking new shapes and reinventing itself through generations, and so the new and improved global R&B flagship, RNB X, will reflect that, showcasing its global reach and representing that fluidity. X can mean a lot of things. X is a variable, the value we solve for most frequently in math. X could literally be anything. X is infinite, just like R&B.”

Spotify’s head of R&B, Alaysia Sierra, elaborated on the rebrand in an interview with VIBE. “When we sat down to discuss how to bring the rebrand to life, we knew it had to lead with the artists that were at the forefront of the resurgence. This is a big year for Victoria with JAGUAR II and her headlining tour, which we supported with R&B First Nights, and so it was only fitting to have her spotlighted with this campaign,” she explained.

Monét was also enthusiastic about her involvement. “Spotify has been extremely supportive of JAGUAR II and its singles, so when I was asked to partner for a name change of the very playlist that met me where I was and changed so much about the dynamic of my career, I was honored and ready,” the songstress declared.

She also talked about the mutual benefits of DSPs. “Streaming is the meeting place for fans and I! Spotify is a five-star date night restaurant where fans can consume all the music I have cooked up! It’s where I can get very instant feedback and stats via Spotify For Artists, too,” the “Party Girls“ hitmaker explained.